The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA), the City of Alexandria, Amtrak, the Virginia Railway Express (VRE), and CSX broke ground on a portfolio of projects in Alexandria, which will improve and expand passenger rail service in Alexandria and Northern Virginia. 

The projects, all designed to increase rail capacity for both passenger and freight services, will also enhance safety for the neighboring community.

The projects support VPRA’s Transforming Rail in Virginia (TRV) initiative, which will aid the Commonwealth in expanding and improving rail service by separating passenger and freight trains, enhancing the service of both. 

Virginia’s Rail Expansion

The rail expansion will use the existing rail corridor, with VPRA and its partners building new infrastructure to accommodate additional trains. 

When complete, TRV will enable the Commonwealth to increase the number of state-supported Amtrak Virginia daily roundtrips to 13, up from the current eight.  It will also expand VRE service on both the Fredericksburg and Manassas lines, including the addition of new weekend service.

Alexandria-area projects include:

• Alexandria Fourth Track – This project encompasses the design and construction of six miles of railroad and related infrastructure between Arlington and Alexandria. One track will be added to the right-of-way from the Long Bridge Aquatic Center in Arlington to just west of the Alexandria Station, which serves both Amtrak and VRE trains. The total budget for this project is $238.4 million.

• King Street & Commonwealth Avenue Railroad Bridges – Working with CSX and VRE, the aging railroad bridges that cross King Street and Commonwealth Avenue, adjacent to the Alexandria Station, will be replaced. VPRA and CSX collaborated on the design of the bridges, while VRE will construct them as part of their Alexandria Station Improvements Project. These new bridges will improve rail service by minimizing delays caused by service interruptions and will improve rail safety by bringing the bridges up to current codes. Safety will also be enhanced for those pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists who travel beneath the bridges. The budget for this project is $97.7 million.

• VRE Alexandria Station Improvements – The current at-grade track crossing will be replaced with a tunnel connecting the two platforms, featuring elevators and stairs for passenger use. Station platforms will also be improved to allow for safer boarding and alighting and to eliminate the current need for step boxes due to unusually low platform heights. Improvements to the center platform will be made to accommodate trains on both tracks, increasing capacity at the station. The estimated cost of this project is $133.7 million.

• King & Commonwealth Streetscape Improvements – The City of Alexandria is the lead on this project, which will enhance the city's gateway through a new streetscape under the King Street and Commonwealth Avenue bridges. With new overhead bridges that include closed decks and wider spans, the space beneath offers a new opportunity to welcome pedestrians and bicyclists to Old Town. The cost of these improvements will be covered by Alexandria, which is currently developing cost estimates.

Project Completion

The timeline for all Alexandria-area projects coincides with TRV’s Long Bridge Project, which is targeted for completion in 2030. 

Funding for the rail projects is being provided by the Commonwealth of Virginia, Amtrak, VRE, and the Federal Railroad Administration.

“By working with our partners, Amtrak, VRE, CSX, and the City of Alexandria, we have been able to develop a plan that combines several projects to benefit not just rail passengers but the local community as well,” said DJ Stadtler, Executive Director of VPRA. “The upcoming construction footprint will be significant, but the outcome will be evolutionary and will benefit the community for decades to come.”